Process of manufacturing coke.



No. 7|l,905. Patentedct. 2|, |902.

T. S. C. LOWE.

PROCESS 0F. MANUFACTURING COKE.

(Application med i915. 25, 1902.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet I.

Patented Det. 2|, @02.

T. s. Ic. Lowa.

PROCESS CF MANUFACTURING COKE.

(Application led Feb. 25. 1902.)

3 SheetSv-Sheet 2.

(lo Model.)

Patented Oct. 2|, |902.

T. s. c; L0w|-:. PROCESS 0F MANUFAITURING COKE.

(Application filed Feb. 25, 1902.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

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THADDEUS S. C. LOVE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING COKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 711,905, dated October21, 1902. Original application led Tnly 12, 1901, Serial No. 71,751.Divided and this application filed February 25, 1902. Serial T "o @ZZwhom, it wutyconccrn:

Beit known that I, THADDEUS S. C. LOWE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Los Angeles,Oalifornia, have invented ce rtainImprovements in Processes of Manufacturing Coke, (the same being adivision of my application filed July l2, 1901, Serial No. 7l,751,) ofwhich the following isa specilication.

The object of my invention is to improve the process of manufacturingcoke whereby a portion of the gas evolved from the coking material isutilized to keep up the heat of the ovens and of a superheating-chamberwhen such chamber isvused and the remainder of the gas is utilized inthe form of a fixed gas by permitting steam to pass through the ovensand mixing the decomposed steam with the gas evolved from the materialwhich is being coked.

The process is intermittent, air being first admitted and mixed with thegases to heat the ovens and the air being then cut ed and steam admittedto Yunite with the gas, which is fixed and saved.

The process can be carried ou by first directing the air or steamthrough the apparatus in one direction and then reversing the directionof the flow as desired in the inanner fully set forth hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a sectional elevationof the complete apparatus through line b. Fig. 2 shows a sectionalground plan ofthe same apparatus through line a. Fig. 3 shows anexterior elevation of the same apparatus. Figa shows a cross section ofone of the coke ovens through line c. Fig. 5 is a plan View of theapparatus; and Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view on the line (l,Fig. 5.

In the manufacture of coke two general principles are employed. The onemost generallyin use is known as the beehive oven, so called from itsshape. In the center of the arch of these ovens is a charging-hole,through which coal is introduced and leveled over the bottom of the oven to adepth of from one to three feet, the oven being preheated. On one sideof the ovens is an opening bricked up to within a few inches of the top,and through the opening thus left air is drawn into the (No model.)

oven for admixture with the gases evolved from the charge of coal. Thismixture being ignited maintains the heat of the oven, thereby continuingthe evolution ot gas from the coal until the same is thoroughly coked.During the early stages of the cokiug period large volumes ofcombustible gas escape from the charging-hole of the oven and, igniting,burn in the open air, and the resulting heat from this secondarycombustion is entirely wasted. After the gases have been extracted andthe solid portions of the coal have been entirely converted into cokewater is introduced directly onto the coke in sufficient quantities tocool itand to enable laborers to draw the same out through the openingin the side, which is made larger by removing the loose brick at thatportion of the oven. This wasteful and slow method of producing coke isnow more generally used than any other system simply because ofthesuperiorquality ofcoke made by reverberatory heat in internally-firedovens. Many attempts have been made, but with slight success, to producecoke in a shorter time, where the coke in an incandescent state isdischarged and cooled outside of the oven principally for the purpose ofretaining the heat, which is entirely lost in the aforementioned system.Other forms of ovens are employed to a limited extent, and the buildersof the same have made efforts to overcome the difliculties of heatingtheir ovens by utilizing a portion of the gases produced for thatpurpose; but as they are heated externally, the same as the ordinarygas-house retort, nearly all of the gas produced is required to keep upthe necessary heat, and then the coke is inferior to that produced inthe internally-heated ovens. Among the numerous difficulties in the wayof an economical production of coke under these systems is the one ofkeeping up the heat inside of these large retorts, owing to thenecessarily very thick {irebrick walls, which allow very little gas tobe saved above that necessary to keep up the heat, and, again, thepeculiarconstruction of these ovens makes them subject to frequentexpensive repairs.

The dilference between my process and the process above described isthat instead of heating the ovens externally for producing IOO coke Iperform the heating internally and depend upon the reverberatory heat ofthe arches to do the coking, precisely as in the beehive type of oven,with the additional improvement over the beehive oven of so arrangingthe apparatus that the air for coiny bustion of the gas arising from thecoke is y in taking off and saving the surplus gases arising from theeoking coals. So far there have been no coke-ovens in use Where theheating of the ovens has been intermittent, and the gases evolved fromthe coal by the heat reflected from the internally -heated arches havebeen saved.

To give a clearer lidea of my invention, I will noW describe thedrawings, and later on the processes of its operation.

1 is a steam-generator and air-heater having a non-conducting lining andloosely filled from top to bottom with metal bars 2, preferably ofcast-iron, forming what I term a regenerative steam-generator.

3 is a water-pipe having a Water-spraying nozzle for spraying water overthe heated bars 2.

4 is an air-blast valve for admitting air at the top of the air-heaterand steam-generator.

5 is a valved openingin to the smoke-stack 6.

7 is a gas-take-off pipe.

8 is a flue connecting the steam-generator 1 with superheating-chamber9.

10 represents loosely-laid fire-brick filling chamber?) to the bottom offlue 20.

12 13 14 15 are coke-ovens separated by partition-Walls 11.

16 is a second superheating-chamber loosely piled with fire-bricks, thesame asin the chamber 9.

17 is a second gas-pipe for conveying gas from the coking apparatus.

1S is a second steam generator and airheater in` every Way like 1 as toconstruction, valve, stack, Water-sprayer, &c.

19 represents movable doors or lids for opening the ovens fordischarging the coke.

2O represents flues through which the gases and products of combustionpass While heating the arches of the coke-ovens and taking od gases fromthe same. Each of these flues is placed opposite to a pier or solid partof thepartition-Walls 21 in the present instance. This arrangement isfor the purpose of breaking up the currents of heated gases for moreintensely heating the arches and brickwork of the oven, as Well as tomix the vapors and 23 and provided with valves 26. These ues haveslot-openings 24 for delivering atmospheric air into the iiues 20. Inthis case there are two ovens between each blast-pipe.

27 is a discharging-ram for pushing the coke out of the coke-ovens ontoa car 28.

35 is a pipe for hydrocarbon oils, having valved branch pipes 36 leadingto the cokeovens and to the superheating-chambers. i

When it is desired to put these coke-ovens and other-apparatus connectedtherewith into operation, I first heat the ovens, superheaters,steam-generators, and connecting-fines in any manner desired. I thencharge bituminous coal or other suitable coal into the coke-ovens 12,13, 14, and 15 through openings or charging-holes 29. The pipes 7 and 17are closed either by valves or water seals, and valve 5 in smoke-stack 6is opened. The coal in all the coking-ovens is then ignited and a blastof air is forced through valve 30, WhichV in passing down through themetal bars is heated, and after passing through flue 31 passes upthrough the loosely-laid firebrick in chamber 16, then out through dues2O over the coal contained in coke-oven 15. The air mixed with therising gas andthe mixture is burned, and after passing over the coal inoven 14 the gases of combustion become recarbonated, forming a mixtureof carbonic-oxid and other gases. They then receive a fresh supply ofair through middle pipe 23 and air-slot 24, and the mixture is againburned as it passes through the fines 2O in the partition or bridge Wallseparating the ovens, intensely heating the arch of oven 13 and beingagain recarbonated in oven 12, after which the gases are again mixedwith air from another set of tlues 23 and the mixture is burned inchamber 9. In this chamber the heat of the products of combustion IOObrickwork 10. Then the remaining heat of the products of combustion isimparted to the open iron bars in stack 1, said products of combustionfinally escaping through valved opening 5 into the open aircomparatively cold. In smallworks having a limited coalsurface area thesuccessive admixture of air with the gases of combustion in heating theovens would not benecessary, one air-blast from superheater 1G beingused for admixture with the gases arising from the eoking coals foryheating the walls and arches and a second blast of air for admixturewith the gases as they enter superheating-chamber 9 for heating the openbrickwork therein contained. These operations will heat the arches ofall the coke-ovens to a high degree and cause a giving off of volatilegases from the bituminous coal contained in the coke-ovens. I now closethe air-blast 30 and also the valved opening 5. Then I introduce water,preferably in the form of a spray, through pipe 32. The iron bars arestill sufficiently hot to generate steam, which steam becomes ygradually heated until the same has passed IIO through fine 31, and thenbecomes further heated by passing up through the open or checker-workbrick contained in chamber 16, so that when broughtin contact with thevolatile matters rising from the coal this highlyheated steam becomesdecomposed in con-v tact with the more solid portion of said volatilematters, until it finally becomes a mixture of hydrogen, carbon-monoxid,or water gas and hydrocarbon gas. If vit is desired to enrich this gasto bring up the candle-power to the usual standard of gas furnished forlighting purposes, hydrocarbon oils are kintroduced at any point mostdesirable between the superheating-chambers 9 and 16. These extrahydrocarbons will immediately become volatilized in contact with thecokin g coals and the highly-heated brickwork and, mingled with thegases from the water and coal, will pass together into chamber 9, whichhas been previously highly heated, and after passing through this massof open fire-brick to more thoroughly fix the gases they escape throughpipe 7 into the usual washers, scrubbers, and purifiers on their way toplaces of storage or consumption. This method of introducing steam,owing to its very high degree of heat,

does not materially reduce the temperature of the ovens below that atwhich the steam has been snperheated-say anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000OFahrenheit-but, on the other hand, will tend to somewhat add to the heatduring the decomposition of the highly-heated steam. The evaporation ofthe gases from the coal contained in all of the chambers will have atendency to slowly reduce the temperature of the arches and surroundingbrickwork below the point desirable for coke-making. At this point theheat is restored in the following manner: Stack-valve 33 is opened andair admitted through the center and right-hand blast-pipes 23 and alsothrough valved pipe 4, first introducing water through pipe 3 intogenerator 1 to generate steam for driving out the gases to preventexplosions. The air becomes intensely heated in passing through thegenerator 1 and checker-work 10 in the superheater 9. Hence when itreaches the coking-chambers 12 13 and is mixed with the gases evolvedfrom the coal therein the burning of these gases restores the heat takenvaway by the previous volatilization of the coal and any excess ofhydrocarbons which may have been introduced. The gases are again mixedwith a blast of air from the center blast-pipe 23, and after beingburned in the ovens 14 and 15 and highly heating the arches thereof islastly mixed with air and burned in flue 20 while leaving oven 15, andthe heat of the products of combustion is again stored in and among theloosely-laid fire-brick in chamber 16, the last of the heat being takenout while said products are passing up through the metal bars insteam-generator 1S, the products being finally discharged throughstack-valve 33 comparatively cool. Thus the process of heating, followedby taking oft the gases, is an alternating and intermittent one, andwhen all of the coal con tained in the various coke-ovens has becomeconverted into coke from top to bottom all of the volatile gases willhave been utilized either in heating the apparatus or conveyed to pointsof storage or consumption.

I will describe one complete method of carrying out my improved process,although this may be slightly varied without departing from the mainfeatures of my invention. If, for instance, the several ovens andregenerators have been brought to a high heat and the coal to be cokedis placed in the several ovens, air is admitted through the pipe 4 intothe generator or heating-stack 1 and passes through the same and intothe superheatingchamber 9 and then through the upper portions of thecoke-ovens, uniting with the gases evolved from the coke in the firstoven, and consequently forming a combustible mixture which is burned inthe several succeeding ovens, air being admitted to aid combustion andadditional gas being supplied from each of the successive ovens. Theproducts of combustion then pass through the superheating-chamber 16 andthrough the steam-generator and air-heater 1S and out from the stack.When the ovens are brought to the desired heat, the air-valve and thestack are closed and the apparatus is then in condition to make gas.Water is admitted through the pipe 3 and coming in contact with theheated metal bars in the generator 1 is converted into steam,which ishighly superheated asit passes through the chamber 9, and as it passesthrough the several ovens mingles with the gases evolved from the coke,and the collected gases pass into the chamberv 16, where they becomefixed and are carried off through the pipe 17. After this operation hasbeen carried on for a certain length of time the temperature of thechambers becomes lowered. The water is then cut oft and water isadmitted through the pipe 32 for the purpose of driving the gasesremaining in the apparatus to the opposite end, so as to avoidexplosion. The air-pipe 30 is then opened and the stackvalve 5 isopened. Thus air adlnitted to the generator 13 becomes highly heated inpassing through the said generator and the chamber 16, and as it passesthrough the upper portion of the several ovens it mingles with the gasesevolved from the coking coal and combustion takes place within theovens, which brings the heat of the ovens up again.

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The products of combustion then pass into generator 18, which becomessuperheated in the chamber 16 and passes through the upper portions ofthe ovens, mixing with the gases evolved from the coking coal in theovens and passes into the chamber 9, where it becomes fixed by coming incontact with the highlyheated brickwork, and is then carried off throughthe pipe 7, and the above operation is repeated. It will be seen thatthe air passes iirst in one direction, then steam is passed in the samedirection, then air is passed in the `reverse direction, and the iiowofsteam in the same direction follows. It will be under` stood that insome instances if airis passed through the apparatus in one directionthe steam may pass through the apparatus in the opposite direction, andthis may be followed by a iiow of air in the same direction. TheSuperior heats obtained by this method will coke the coal in much lesstime than by any other known method, and by the extra intensity ofthe'heat the coke becomes more firm and hard and will carry stock in ablast-furnace or cupola equal to if not better than coke produced by thebest coking systems now known, in addition to which all of the gases aresaved and utilized without the use of any other fuels in producing thecoke and gas.

If the coal has been placed in the ovens at diierent intervals, which inpractice will be found the best method of operating a battery ofr ovenson this plan, I discharge the ovens in order, iirst taking those whichhave been the longest time exposed to the heat. For instance, if it .isto be a twenty-four-hour coke one of the four ovens will be dischargedevery six hours; if a battery of twelve ovens, the coke would bedischarged from one of the ovens every two hours. In this way there isat all times a continuous even iiow of gases coming oli from the coal,more than two-thirds of which can be saved for commercial purposes andthe other third used to heat the brick and iron work.

The part of the hydrocarbons that is most eiicient in aiding thedecomposition of steam is that portion rising from they coal in afeathery lampblack form and which in ordinary gas-works is now usuallycondensed into tar. Thus the permanent hydrocarbons or illuminauts arenot much, if at all, affected in this operation. n

Care should be taken not to introduce over the coals more air orhighly-heated steam than is necessary tobnrn the gases, and thus preventeither the atmosphere or the oxygen of the steam from attacking thesolid coke in the ovens. Therefore the combustion and decomposition ofthe gases are only partial, except when the gases are last burned beforeentering the open brickwork chamber, when sufcient air should beintroduced to perfectly burn the gases, and thus store up the largestamount of heat possible. The end ovens being the nearest to thesuperheating-chambers will become the hottest and the gas will be drivenoff in less time either the end oven or the one that has beenA longestexposed to the heat. In this way the steam for producing the water-gaswill be decomposed before it reaches the open-work superheating orfixing chamber.

The object of the second stack of ironwork in the steam generating stackabove the water-sprayer is to so heat the atmospheric blast that it willnot reduce the temperature in the iron bars in the lower portion of thesteam-generating stack below the point that will thoroughly convert intosteam all the water introduced and bring the same to a high degree ofheat even before it iinally reaches the fire-brick superheaters. In thismethod of construction I also extract more of the heat from the productsof combustion while on their way out of the stack.

As above noted, all my coking-chambers herein described containtire-brick partitionwalls forming a number of smaller chambers, eachpartition` having tlues in the upper portion of the same, which finesare preferably so placed that the gases in passing from onecoking-chamber to the other are made to discharge under an arch andagainst a wall or pier on the opposite side of each chamber, as shown inFig. 2, in order to break up the current of hot gases and to moreintimately bring the same into contact with the greatest possible amountof heated surfaces while passing in either direction to the superheatersthrough the various fines, over the coking coals, and under the archescovering each coke-oven.

In order to accomplish the coking of coal in a Vshorter time than is theease in other internally-heated ovens, it will often be foundadvantageous, inV addition to highly heating the air, to also increaseits volume to a point that would ordinarily consume a portion of thesolid coal or coke in the chambers, more especially in those chambersnearest to the superheaters, and to avoid this danger of injury to thecoke I introduce any suitable ashless volatile carbon orhydrocarbons-such as tar, asphaltum, or heavy crude hydrocarbon oils oroil residuals-onto'the top of the coking coals. The coke resulting fromthese ashless carbons being on the top surface of the coking coals, evenshould an excessive amount of heated air or highly-superheated steamcome in contact with and consume a portion of the above-describedashless coke it would in no way injure the coke made from coals byleaving an excessive amount of ash, as would be the case if the cokingcoals were not thus protected. Among the ashless carbons to beintroduced onto the coking coals ormixed with the coal before charginginto the ovens are those carbons carried over from the cokeovens andafterward washed and condensed out of the gas in the usual way ofcleansing illuminating-gas. Much of this ICO IIO

`residuum ioats with the Water inthe form of fine feathery coke orlampblack and is collected in suitable screens, While the liquid andheavy tar is separated from the fixed gases in suitable Washers andscrubbers. All of these carbons may be mixed and returned to any one ormore of the ovens onto the top of the coking coals; but I prefer to mixthe fine lampblack sort of carbon with the coals before they are chargedinto the ovens and to introduce the more liquid tarry portions of theresiduals onto the top of the coking coals, preferably into the ovennextto the superheater from which the hottest air-blast is taken and whichusually make this oven the hottest. Simultaneously I spray water overthe iron bars in the steam-generator, which is instantly converted intosteam and While passing over vthe highly-heated brick- Work in thesuperheaters becomes so heated that when it comes in contact with thefeath- -ery carbon or lampblack rising from these ashless carbons andthat of the coal the highly-heated steam becomes decomposed by taking upsufficient of the volatile carbon to `form carbon monoxid and liberatingthe hydrogen of the steam. These gases then pass olf through a secondsuperheater, Where the mixed gases are more thoroughly fixed, and anyremaining particles of carbon and steam are there decomposed in theusual Way, as shown in my Water-gas patent of September 1l, 1875, No.167,847.

The principal object of first bringing the steam to a high degree ofheat before bringing the same into the ovens and over the coking coalsis to prevent the passages and the arches of the coking-ovens from beingtoo much reduced in temperature, and thereby check the process of cokingWhile taking o the surplus gases not needed in keeping up the heat inthe process of coking. After a time this steam-superheater.Will becomeloW- ered in temperature to a point that will not keep up the heat inthe top portion of the coking-ovens, which are also gradually reduced intemperature, due to the volatilization of a portion of the coal. I thenrestore the heat to the ovens and to the superheaters last used forsuperheating steam and the iron bars in the steam-generator connectedWith this superheater by reversing the current of gas and air forconsuming the same in the ovens and the superheaters, when the operationproceeds as before.

Vhenever the coking-ovens, superheaters, steam-generators, and brickworkhave once become sufficiently heated to operate satisfactorily, it Willrequire, according to size of works-say those of moderate capacityabouttwenty minutes to take off the surplus gases, while fifteen minutes willgenerally suice to restore the little heat that has been lost. Thereforeit will be seen that this method of making coke is continuous, While theheating of the ovens and the collection of gases arising from the cokingcoal is alternating.

To prevent explosions, one of the mostimportant features of this methodof making coke consists in the process of iirst clearing the stacks andsuperheaters of combustible gases by driving the same out with steam, tobe followed in the same direction With atmospheric air, the steam to beshut off when the air reaches such a point in the superheater or oventhat it will safely ignite the gas When coming in contact with the same.In the meantime should any gases pass into the second superheater at theopposite side of the ovens unconsumed before air is admitted for theirconsumption the same Will pass harmlessly out of the stack, for thereason that the last use made of that superheater was for conveyinghighly-heated steam to the ovens, and therefore contains nothing butsteam until gases take its place.

When it is desired to manufacture coke from hydrocarbon oils orasphaltum instead of from coal, the same can be done in the apparatusherein described by admitting oils in limited quantities into any of thehighlyheated ovens and bringing into contact with the vapors of the samethe highly-heated steam from one of the steam-superheaters, which whilepassing through the flues and over the various succeeding ovens Willdeposit along the ovens those heavier portions of the hydrocarbonscontained in the materials used, and the gases Will be more thoroughlyfixed by passing` the same through a second superheater orfixing-chamber. The gases resulting from this process While passingthrough the usual washers and scrubbers will deposit any surplushydrocarbons or lampblack not converted into gas. These heavier productscan from time to time be returned to the ovens and preferably on thesurface of the highly-heated coke resulting from the use of heavyhydrocarbon oils or asphaltums, and when sufficient of the heavierportions of the materials have been converted into coke the same can bedischarged from the ovens in the same manner as is done when coke ismade from coal. Coke made from these materials Will contain little or noash and is of superior value as fuel and can also be pulverized and usedin the manufacture of electric and similar carbons.

. An additional reason for having a second pile of open iron-Work abovethe Water-spraying device in the steam-generator, as above described, isto more thoroughly absorb the heat contained in the burned and Wastegases While escaping through the stack and enable the air of combustionforced or drawn by natural draft through valved openings to becomeconsiderably heated on its Way to the cokeovens, as Well as to preventcooling the lower metal bars much, if any, below the steam-generatingpoint. This form of coke-oven (one or more) can be operated successfullyon nat- IOO ural draft by providing openings (not shown) at convenientpoints for admitting air to burnthe gases arising from the coal in theovens, and when desired by closing the draft-openings the other portionof the gas not needed for keeping up the heat maybe recovered by the useof the ordinary well-known gas-exhauster, or thegas may beforced by itsown pressure through the usual washers, scrubbers, and puritiers, as inthe ordinary retort gas system and also as in my water-gas gen-` eratorpatentedin 1875, before alluded to. It will be seen that by myarrangement of cokeovens and their connecting-lines, as herein shown anddescribed, I am enabled to produce an enormous reservoir of incandescentcoals under one roof composed of one or more arches of brickwork, and bypartition-walls having:

openings in each near the arches any portion of the reservoir of coal orthe resulting coke can be drawn from said oven without in any Wayaecting the balance of the coals or checking the coking process.

Where one large reservoir of coal is used evolved from the coal in theadjoining ovens or compartments of the general coal-reservoir and causethe same to burn, so as to keep up the heat. The amount of air thusdrawn into the coal-reservoir can be easily regulated by a Vdamper inthe open stack.

In some instances instead of opening both ends of the ovens anddischarging the coke by means of a ram I open but one door and haul thecoke out by means of an iron drag. Over each opening or fluecommunicating with all the ovens and the brick superheaters I provide anair-inlet, preferably in the form of a slot 24:, covering the entireWidth of the iiue, in order to bring the air into more direct contactwith the gases and in regulated-quantities whenever it is desired toburn the same. This method not only secures more perfect combustion, butalso from the high heat thus obtained the 'flames will arise as theyemerge from the lues and highly heat the arches and .pass 0E withoutmuch,ifany,of the free oxygen coming in contact with the coking coals inthe ovens below. Also in consequence of each flue opening against solidWall 2l on the opposite side of the oven the zigzag motion of the llamesserves more highly to heat the surfaces of the brickwork in each oventhus treated.

Were it not for the convenience of discharging the coke and thedesirability of always having coal in the coking-hearths of the ovens invarious stages of coking the partition-Walls forming a series of ovenswould not be needed, and in small works one oven may be used toadvantage, especially when oil is used for carbureting the resultinggas, said single oven having on each side open-brickvvork superheatersand, when found desirable, steamgenerators, all connected with iluesarranged as above described. Thebest results, however, are obtained when`the coal-reservoir is divided up by brick walls into a series of ovens`parallel with each other and all having connecting-dues, as above setforth.

A series of ovens can be operated with fair results without thechecker-Work superheatersv arranged on each side when said ovens areplaced parallel with each other and connected with fines, as hereindescribed, with means for admitting air and burning gases arising from`the coals and when desired' alternating the direction of the air anddischarging coke in sections, as by the more cornplete apparatus abovedescribed.

In place of the checker-work brick superheaters on each side ofthe ovensone flue or a series of ilues for absorbing the heat from the outgoinggases or other known means maybe employed for saving and returning thewaste heat to the coke-ovens but I prefer the arrangement as described,and shown in the drawings.

When I desire to create a more neutral iame than can be obtained inburning the gases arising from the coking coals lto prevent free oxygenfrom coming in contact vwith the coke and consuming the same, Iintroduce in the form of spray or otherwise in regulated quantitieseither a small amount of tar or hydrocarbon oils preferably over theovenin which the air irstenters.y

I claim as my invention- 1. The process herein described of effectingthe coking of coal in an oven and the recovery of part of the gasesevolved therefrom,

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said process consisting in heating the ovenby vburning therein gasesevolved from the cok- `lng coal and alternately with such burningcollecting gasesfrom the coking coal without lowering the temperature ofthe oven to an extent sufficient to prevent the coking process frombeing substantially continuous, substantially as described.

2. The process herein described of eecting the coking of coal in anoven, and the recovery of part of the gases evolved therefrom, saidprocess consisting in admitting air over the top of the coking coalwhereby the air is mixed with the evolved gases above the coal forheating or renewing the heat of the oven or ovens, then shutting off theair, and for a time collecting` the resulting gases from the coking coalWithout the admission of air, substantially as described.

3. In the manufacture of coke, the process of continuously andprogressively converting the charge into coke, and intermittentlyrecovering gas from the charge while being' coked, which consists inalternately heating or renewingtheheatoftheovensand connectingfiues bythe admission of atmospheric air, whereby, through the combustion of themixture of air and evolved gases, to heat or reheat the ovens above thebody of the coking charge, and then after shutting off the air so as toarrest such combustion, recovering the gases evolved from the cokingcharge due to the heat thus stored in the walls, iues and arches of theovens.

4. In the manufacture of coke, the process of continuously andprogressively converting the charge into coke and intermittentlyrecovering gas from the charge While being coked, which consists inalternately ne-ating or renewing the heat of the ovens andconnectingflues by the admission ot' atmospheric air whereby, throughcombustion of the mixture of air and evolved gases, to heat or reheatthe ovens above the body of coking coal, and then shutting oif the airso as to arrest such combustion, and admitting steam into and throughthe ovens above the body of coking coal, and recovering the gasesproduced from the coking coal and the decomposing steam, substantiallyas described.

5. In the manufacture of coke, the process of continuously andprogressively converting the chargeinto coke and intermittently recov-Aering gas from the charge While being coked, which consists inalternately raising the temperature of the oven-arches to above thetemperature required for coking, and then introducing steam at or aboveits decomposable temperature into the upper parts of the ovens and abovethe body of the charge with reference to effecting the recombination ofthe elements of the steam and the otherwise waste gas evolved in cokinginto a fixed recoverable gas, substantially as described.

6. In the manufacture of coke, the process of continuously andprogressively converting a plurality of connected oven charges intocoke, and intermittently recovering gas from the charges while beingcoked, which consists in alternately heating or renewing the heat of theovens and dues by the admission of atmospheric air at successive pointsalong the succession ot' ovens and ues, thereby,

through combustionof the mixture of air and` evolved gases, heating orreheating the ovens above the body of coking coal, and then aftershutting off the air so as to arrest such combustion, recovering thegases evolved from the coking coals due to the heat thus stored in thewalls, iiues and arches of the oven.

7. As a step in the manufacture of coke, the method of heating ormaintaining the heat of any one or more of a plurality of connectedovens later than the first, which consists in subjecting the unitedgaseous products of the particular oven and the gaseous products of theprevious oven or ovens to the oxidizing action of air in suitablequantity for that purpose.

8. The process herein described of coking coals, said process consistingin charging the coals to be coked in a series of communicating chambers,admitting air to the first chamber of the series, whereby to raise thechamber to a high temperature by the combustion of the mixture of airand the gases evolved from the coal, carrying the gases through theremaining chambers and adding to these gases the gases evolved from thecoke in the several chambers and adding at intervals air to aid in thecombustion of the gases and to heat the several chambers to the propercoking temperature, substantially as described.

9. The process of manufacturing coke and gas, the said processconsisting in passing a current of heated air over the coking coal,heating a regenerating-furnace by igniting the mixture of air and gasevolved from the coke, and after the regenerator has reached a certaintemperature passing steam through the heated regenerating-chamber andover the coking coal, and adding an oil to Athe steam and gas from thecoal, substantially as described.

l0. The process herein described of producing coke and gas, said processconsisting in rst passing a current of air over a body of coking coaluntil a certain degree of heat is reached, then passing steam over thecoking coal, substantially as described.

11. In the process of manufacturing coke, the method of 11e-ating orrenewing the heat of the oven by first passing air through a regeneratorpreviously heated and then passing the heated air across the top of thecoking coal in an oven, substantially as described.

12. The process of manufacturing coke, said process consisting in firstpassing atmospheric air over heated brickWork, then admitting the sameover the top of coal in a coke-oven, then burning the resulting gasesarising from the coal in the process of coking by the admission ofatmospheric air in such manner as to heat a second mass of brick- Workcontained in a superheater, substantially as described.

13. rPhe process of producing coke and gas, said process consisting inpassing steam over highly-heated cokin g coals in a coke-oven, admittinghydrocarbon oil in such a manner that the vapors arising therefrom willmix With the gases resulting from the introduction of steam in suchproportions as may be desired, substantially as described.

14. The process of manufacturing coke and gas, said process consistingin passing steam over highly-heated coals in a coke-oven, admittinghydrocarbon oil in such manner that the vapors arising therefrom willmix with the gases resulting from the introduction of the steam in suchproportions as may be desired, then for the better fixing and makingmore permanent this mixture of gases, passing the same overhighly-heated brickwork, substantially as described..

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15. The process herein described of manufacturing coke and gas, saidprocess consisting in passing a current of air through a regeneratorpreviously heated, then passing the heated air over a body of cokingcoal, the air and the gases from the coal being united with anadditionalsupply of air and passed through a second regenerating-furnaceto heat the same, substantially as described.

16. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof, the method ofutilizing the otherwise Waste gases evolved during coking, whichconsists in first passing a current of air over a body of coking coaluntil a certain degree of heat is reached, and then passing steam andoil over the coal, substantially'as described.

17. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof, the method ofutilizing the otherwise Waste gases evolved during coking,

which consists in heating air, passing thel heated air over the cokingcoal, burning the mixture above the coal, heating a fixingchamber bytheWaste products of combustion, then passing steam over the coking coals,said steam combiningr with the evolved gases from the coking coal, andpassing the said mixture through the preheated fixing-chamber andcollecting the resulting fixed gas.

18. In the process of making coke and, as a erating steam by theadmission of water into the air-heater, superheating said steam, andthen passing the said superheated steam over the coking coals wherebythe steam is mixed with the evolved gases from the coking coal, passingthe said gases through the previouslyheated fixing-chamber andcollecting the resulting fixed gas, substantially as described.

19. In the process of making coke, and, as a part thereof, the method ofutilizing the otherwise Waste gases evolved during coking, Whichconsists in heating air, passing the heated air over the coking coal,mixing the said air with the gases evolved from the coking coal, addingadditional air to the products of combustin as they pass from over thecoking coal, heatinga chamber by the waste products of combustion,cutting off the air, admitting steam to the air-heater, superheatingsaid steam,passing the superheated steam over the coking coals Where itcombines with the resulting gases, passing the mixture of steam andgases through the heated chamber, and collecting the resulting gases,substantially asdescribed.

20. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof, the method ofutilizing the otherwise Waste gases evolved during coking, whichconsists in heating air, passing the heated air over the coking coals,burning the mixture above the coking coals, adding additional air to theproducts of combustion as they pass from over the coking coals, heatinga chamber by the waste'products of combustion, cutting off the air,generating steam, super-heating saidV steam, passing the superheatedsteam over the coking coal, so that the steam will combine with theevolved gases from the coal, adding a hydrocarbon to the mixture,passing the said mixture through the previously-heated chamber, andcollecting the resulting gases, substantially as described.

21. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof, the method ofutilizing the othervvise Waste gases evolved during coking, whichconsists in first heatingan arch or roof of a coke-oven directly overthe coals to be coked, and afterward shutting off the blast or drafts ofair used in heating said oven, then conveying the gases resulting fromthe heats thus obtained to any suitable Washer, scrubber or purifier, inthe manner substantially as described.

22. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof the method ofutilizing the otherwise waste gases evolved d nring eokin g, whichconsists in first heating an arch or roof of a coke-oven directly overthe coals to be coked, and afterward shutting off the blast or drafts ofair used in heating said oven, then admitting steam in limitedquantities for the purpose of adding hydrogen and carbonic oxid, thenconveying the gases resulting from the heats thus obtained to anysuitable Washer, scrubber or purifier, in the manner substantially asdescribed.

23. In the process of making coke and asa part thereof the method ofutilizing the otherwise waste gases evolved during coking, whichconsists in iirst heating an arch or roof of a coke-oven directly overthe coals to be coked, and afterward shutting off the blast or drafts ofair used in heating said oven, then admitting hydrocarbon oil, or othercarbonaceous substances in limited quantities, for the purpose ofenriching and increasing the volume and candle-power of said gases, inthe manner substantially as described.

24. In the process of making coke and as a part thereof the method ofutilizing the other- Wise Waste gases evolved during coking, whichconsists in first heating an arch or roof of a coke-oven directly overthe coals to be coked, and afterward shutting olf the blast or drafts ofair used in heating said oven, then admitting hydrocarbon oil, or othercarbonaceous substances in limited quantities for the purpose ofenriching and increasing the volume and candle-power of said gasesgenerated from the coal in said coke-oven, in the manner substantiallyas described.

25. The process of simultaneously charging coal into aninternally-heated cokeoven, Without cooling the succeeding oven orbrick- Work, which consists in opening a draft-stack IOO TIO

in such a manner as to draw atmosphere into a coking-oven through anopen door, while coke is being discharged, and through a charging-pole,one or more, while coal is being charged into said ovens, in sufficientvolume to burn the gases arising from said charge of coal, and thesucceeding ovens, and the brickwork, for the purpose of keeping up theheat in'said ovens and brickwork, substantially as described.

26. The process of protecting the coke from any undue amount of oxygenin one or more coke-ovens, which consists in spraying or otherwiseadmitting in limited quantities, hydrocarbon oils, tar, asphaltum, orother suitable volatile substances over the surface of the coking coalsin said ovens, substantially1 as described.

27. The process of heating a series of cokeovens, which consists insuccessi vely burning the gases arising from the coking coals, from oneor more coke-ovens, by the admixture of atmospheric air therewith, then,after the gases resulting from such combustion have been reconvertedinto carbon monoxid by coming in contact with additional highlyheatedcarbon or mixed with other combustible gases arising from the cokingcoals contained in another oven, one or more, again causing atmosphericair to mingle with these gases in sufficient quantities to burn the sameover another oven, one or more, in the manner substantially asdescribed.

28. In the process of manufacturing coke and gas, said processconsisting in alternately passing air and steam through regenerators anda coking-oven, reversing the direction of the air and steam and clearingany combustible gases from the apparatus after the introduction of steamand prior to the reverse introduction of air,substantial1y as described.

29. As a step in the process of manufacturing coke and gas, the methodof preventing explosions, which consists in rst clearing any combustiblegases from the steam-generators, ues and passages by the passage of acurrent of steam therethrough preliminary to supplying air to the ovensfor renewing the heat of the system, the steam to clear the furnacebeing passed into the furnace at the same end lat which the air isafterward admitted, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof vI have signed my .name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

THADDEUS S. C. LOWE.

Witnesses:

WILL. A. BARR, v H. HAYES AIKENS.

